The IAEA's technical cooperation (TC) programme is developed jointly by the Member States and the Secretariat, using a results-based management approach. The Department of Technical Cooperation is responsible for the management of the TC programme and provides structured and multidisciplinary Agency-wide coordination of the programme and management support to Member States. The IAEA’s technical Departments are responsible for the technical integrity of the TC programme, and for safety and safeguards issues.

The two year programme is formulated following the submission of a Country Programme Note with project proposals by each participating Member State. The project proposals are reviewed by the Secretariat for technical feasibility, and any safety and security issues are identified and addressed. Projects are also checked for proliferation risks by the Department of Safeguards, in accordance with the IAEA Statute, INFCIRC/267, and all other relevant decisions, including UN Security Council resolutions. The programme is then reviewed by the Technical Assistance and Cooperation Committee (TACC), and presented for approval to the IAEA Board of Governors.

The new programme cycle starts on 1 January of the year following Board approval of the programme. National projects within the new cycle are initiated upon payment of National Participation Costs.

While the new TC programme is being implemented, the next two year programme is already under preparation as part of the continuous programme cycle. Projects within the programme can be national, regional or interregional, and can have a duration of up to four years.

The development and management of the technical cooperation programme is supported by the?Programme Cycle Management Framework (PCMF) IT platform, a web-based multi-user application. The PCMF supports efficient and transparent communication between Member State project stakeholders and the Secretariat.